LITT: Academic Libraries

Discussion topic: outreach

• How to do this important work with limited budget and/or resources? Where to start?
  • Partnering with existing groups on-campus – campus activities board, regular campus events, club or student group activities
  • BSU Albertsons Library recently created a new position focused on community engagement & outreach, connecting this position to the university’s broader goals and language in its strategic plan
  • Just getting out into the community – being seen and being known
  • Going to where the students already are – instead of waiting for students to approach with a question, create opportunities for engagement and interaction
  • Create an environment where the students feel the library is a place for them to use
  • Consider the needs of the target audience (students)
    • Partnering with student wellness group to bring in therapy dogs during finals week
    • Partnering with other campus groups to bring in chair massages for students during finals week
    • Creating a space and/or resources for non-traditional students using the library with their young kids
  • Start with a big idea or goal to work towards, then find a small step you can work on now that serves as a proof of concept, a way to demonstrate usefulness and need before investing large amounts of resources
  • Workshops – bringing students in to work on an activity, connect that activity or idea to the library’s collections and/or resources
• How do you reach off-campus students? How do they get access to physical materials?
  • CWI, BSU, and UI all mail physical materials to their off-campus students at no cost to the students
  • CWI emphasizes the option of electronic materials where appropriate
• How to communicate information about the library to students and faculty?
  • Issue where students think they have to pay to access library resources – important to contradict this belief with reliable information about library services
  • Keeping your website up to date, sharing information on social media, creating funny videos that also provide useful information, also low tech options like a rolling whiteboard or pamphlets
  • Disconnect between expectations vs. reality – how to address?
    • Tour video – can assuage fears for first-time users
  • Reaching out to new faculty can be very helpful in establishing quality relationships with the library, sharing information
• Things to consider:
  • First year students also include transfer students
  • “Bring people into the library by getting out of the library.”
  • The importance of creating a positive first impression of the library for new students
  • Class assignments/activities with the library should be relevant, useful, meaningful – if a student feels it is busy work they may be more likely to come away with a negative first impression of the library